Oregon CROWN Act
Earlier this month, Oregon passed the Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act (CROWN Act), prohibiting race-based hair discrimination, which will go into effect on January 1, 2022. The CROWN Act updates state law related to discrimination by adding a new definition of race to include “physical characteristics that are historically associated with race including, but not limited to, natural hair, hair texture, hair type and protective hairstyles”. The Act defines “protective hairstyle” as a hairstyle, hair color or manner of wearing hair that includes, but is not limited to, braids, regardless of whether the braids are created with extensions or styled with adornments, locs and twists.
The Act also contains provisions for public schools.
OFLA Amendments
Oregon’s HB 2474 was recently signed into law by the Governor amending certain provisions of the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) effective January 1, 2022.
The amendments to OFLA include reducing the length of the employment requirement for an employee’s OFLA eligibility during a declared public health emergency. Employees of a covered employer may now be eligible for OFLA leave during a public health emergency if the employee:
- has been employed with the employer for at least 30 days prior to the leave begin date; and
- has worked an average of at least 25 hours per week during the 30 days immediately preceding the leave.
The amendment also makes permanent the regulatory provisions providing for OFLA covered childcare leave due to a public health emergency.
Additionally, employees who separate from employment or experience a temporary cessation of employment for any reason will be eligible for OFLA if they were eligible for leave at the time of separation and are reemployed within 180 days.
Finally, the amendment removes gendered language from OFLA’s provisions related to pregnancy.